1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to switching systems, display systems, control knob display systems and human touch control indicators for musical instruments. The invention particularly lends itself to programmable pickup, sensor or transducer switching where a selection of multiple pickups, sensors or transducers are used on musical instruments to provide different sounds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric guitars and other electric instruments typically provide one or more pickups that “pickup” vibrations of the steel strings within the electro-magnetic field or pole of the pickup system to produce an electric signal output when the steel strings are moving while being played. Likewise, transducers (e.g., piezo transducers) that reside under a bridge saddle or under each individual string saddle provide amplification for nylon string type instruments or allow for an acoustic type sound of instruments with steel strings employing transducers in addition to the magnetic pickups.
Many types of pickups and transducers exist and each produce specific tone and timbre qualities depending, for example, on the location where these pickups are placed under the strings, amongst other variables. Depending on the type of pickup configurations, the instrument can produce even more unique tones and timbre sound qualities. The electric signals produced by the plurality of pickup locations and pickup types are sent to an amplifier or recording device through which the instrument's sound can be heard. Many switching schemes and systems provide different combinations for when the pickups are on (and actively producing sound) or off and not producing sound. That is, switching systems allow a musician to change, in real time, the sound of his/her musical instrument during a musical performance at times of their discretion. Prior art switching or selection systems, however, do not provide for full combinatorial combinations of pickup selections of series pickups, parallel pickups and series and parallel combinations of pickups used to create new instrument sounds and tones. Furthermore, the prior art does not provide a method for quick, convenient switching of selection of pickups in a way conducive to real time live performance or in recording situations nor do they provide for display options indicating the modes of operation the pickups are in for each sound.
Therefore, a need exists for programmable pickup, sensor and transducer switching systems with display options for the selection of multiple pickups, sensors and transducers for musical instruments, that enables programming with great ease (for example, even while in live and real time performance), and provides many combinations of pickup selections ranging in multiple pickup sounds, such as, for example, three to over one hundred and fifty, single coil, parallel coil and single coil mixed with humbucking configurations and/or piezo type transducers.